67 
An able writer endeavors to answer the question in 
the following language: “In one or more locations, 
somewhat distant from the centre of the brood combs 
of the hive, some bee that has been engaged in nurs- 
ing the young brood, from not having seen her mother, 
in consequence of the great multitude around her, sud- 
denly conceives the idea that somehow or other the 
queen has been lost, and acting upon that conviction, 
she instantly sets about repairing the loss. In the 
course of a few hours she has prepared some bee-jelly 
(royal-jelly), administered the first dish and com- 
menced to lengthen the cell downward in its proper 
form. One after another enters the cell and finds the 
royal jelly there, and the suspicion enters their heads 
also that the queen is lost ; and here is the beginning of 
the process to rear another. They likewise fall into 
the same work with the first, and soon there is quite a 
cluster, which give all their attention to this young 
princess royal. In proportion to their care and atten- 
tion their affection is given to their young mistress, and 
they have soon forgotten that they ever owed allegiance 
to another mistress than the one they are nursing. 
About six days elapse and she has attained her growth 
as a larva, and is now ready to undergo the transforma- 
tion to the shape of a perfect queen ; she is accord- 
ingly sealed up, and the cluster assume a position as 
her watchful guardians. The old queen has hitherto 
paid no attention to what was going on down there, in 
